• Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer
Monday, January 30, 2023
Massachusetts Digital News
  • Home
  • US
  • Business
  • World
  • Boston
  • Worcester
  • Springfield
  • Cambridge
  • Lowell
  • Brockton
  • Press Releases
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • US
  • Business
  • World
  • Boston
  • Worcester
  • Springfield
  • Cambridge
  • Lowell
  • Brockton
  • Press Releases
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home US

Legislature Makes It Easier To Ban School Books In Florida | Editorial

by Duong
March 18, 2022
in US
legislature-makes-it-easier-to-ban-school-books-in-florida-|-editorial
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Sun Sentinel.

Florida Republicans are clever. They have wasted no time riding a conservative movement to sanitize our public schools from books and discussions about race and the existence of gay and transgender people.

The 2022 session was all about waging those cultural wars in the name of “transparency” and parental involvement in public education. But we see right through them. Their latest iteration is House Bill 1467. It would make it easier for parents — and we suspect political groups whose members might not have kids in public school — to challenge and ban instructional materials and library books. It would also put Tallahassee in charge of compiling a list of books banned by school districts because of an objection, so that other districts can consider them “in their selection procedures.”

That’s just our state government helping districts self-censor. After all, if a book is banned in one part of the state, why risk keeping it on your shelves and becoming the target of angry parents and activists? Testimony heard during legislative hearings provided a sample of what’s to come. Bill supporters wearing “Florida Parents Know Best” T-shirts accused districts of showing LGBTQ “cartoon videos to the kids” without telling parents, as well as porn and providing critical race theory and “gender confusion” material.

The craftiness of it is that this bill is not entirely objectionable. It imposes 12-year term limits on school board members, which forces turnover and fresh ideas among school leadership. Critics argue that turnover happens through elections, but incumbents rarely get serious challengers and unseated.

Another reasonable provision requires parents to be part of school district committees that select books, and that they meet publicly. Democrats are running for the hills, shouting “Nazis!” and evoking Germany’s 1933 book burnings. Such comparisons to Hitler are unnecessary and should be reserved only for actions that truly come close to the horrors of his regime.

Plus, conservatives know better than to ban books outright. Their strategy is more insidious.

It won’t empty the shelves of school libraries overnight, but it will open the door to fear and self-censorship by school administrators. Books are the new bogeyman. State law already prohibits pornography and content that’s not age appropriate. Most important, parental involvement already is required, because each school board must “adopt a policy regarding an objection by a parent or a resident of the county to the use of a specific instructional material.”

No books or instructional materials were challenged this or last school year in Miami-Dade County, according to the district. Funny how that seemed to be working until school books became a conservative target. HB 1467 would expand the types of books parents and residents can challenge to include those in libraries and reading lists besides instructional materials assigned in class, sponsor Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, testified.

Elementary schools would have to post on their website in a searchable format all books available in the school library or required as part of a reading list. Those titles would be available for all members of the public, and some critics questioned why not make it available only for parents. We think we know why. Libraries aren’t just a parental concern anymore, they are battlefields of the culture wars.

Racism, diversity as targets

Conservative groups across the country are trying to ban books such as “I am Jazz,” an autobiographical children’s picture book about a transgender teen, and the work of Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison, whose novels depict the pain of racism often through scenes that are uncomfortable to read, as they depict sex and sexual assault. Not surprisingly, the books that received the most challenges in libraries and schools in 2020 dealt with “racism, Black American history and diversity in the United States,” an American Library Association official told NPR.

The bill requires employees in charge of choosing books in school libraries to undergo online training provided by the state Department of Education. The department reports to the commissioner of education, an indirect appointee of the governor, who has made schools a political tool, banning the teaching of critical race theory, even through districts say it’s not in their curriculum.

DeSantis successfully pushed another bill (HB 7) to ban lessons about race that make white kids feel uncomfortable. He also supports the so-called “Don’t say gay” bill (HB 1557) to ban instruction related to sexuality and gender identity in K-3. What that training would look like is unclear.

But we can picture how it might instruct librarians to avoid “critical race theory literature” (say, a book about structural racism or white privilege). No, this bill isn’t a Nazi-like book ban as Democrats claim. But it’s not all about transparency either, as Republicans would have us think.

This editorial initially appeared in The Miami Herald.

Read More Here

Related Posts

2-dead-in-new-mexico-wildfire-that-forced-evacuations-and-damaged-homes

2 Dead In New Mexico Wildfire That Forced Evacuations And Damaged Homes

by NewsReporter
April 14, 2022
0

(CNN)Two people have died in the McBride Fire raging in New Mexico that has scorched more than 5,000 acres in the Sierra Blanco mountain range, police said.They were found Wednesday in a burned home in Ruidoso, New Mexico, state police said in a news release. Soon after, local police were...

bye-bye,-benjamin:-the-lieutenant-governor-has-gone

Bye Bye, Benjamin: The Lieutenant Governor Has Gone

by NewsReporter
April 13, 2022
0

New York Daily News | Apr 13, 2022 at 4:10 AM Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin leaving court at 500 Pearl Street after being arrested and indicted in the connection of campaign finance scheme on charges including bribery and falsification of records, Manhattan, New York, Tuesday April 12, 2022. (Shawn Inglima/for...

explainer:-what-do-new-alabama-laws-say-on-transgender-kids?

EXPLAINER: What Do New Alabama Laws Say On Transgender Kids?

by Duong
April 12, 2022
0

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama has become the first state to criminalize the use of puberty blockers and hormones to treat transgender people under age 19. In line with some other Republican-led states, legislators here also passed a law requiring students to use bathrooms corresponding to their sex at birth and...

biden-to-announce-new-gun-regulation-–-follow-live

Biden To Announce New Gun Regulation – Follow Live

by Duong
April 11, 2022
0

(Getty Images)President Joe Biden is expected to announce new gun regulations on Monday to rein in so-called “ghost guns” — privately made firearms without serial numbers that have been used in several high-profile violent crimes.Mr Biden is expected to nominate Steve Dettlebach, an Obama-era US attorney, to run the Bureau...

Massachusetts Digital News

© 2021 Massachusetts Digital News

Navigate Site

  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • DMCA Policy
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • CCPA
  • Terms of Use

© 2021 Massachusetts Digital News

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT